North Huron grad starts foundation for sexual assault survivors

TRACI L. WEISENBACH, Tribune Staff Writer

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, October 21, 2009

KINDE— It’s something one can never forget, and because of that, it can take over one’s life. It doesn’t have to be that way, and a new foundation will show people the road to trust, faith, hope, love and happiness.

The Fight to Survive Foundation, started earlier this year by 2008 North Huron graduate Kayla Palach, is aimed toward showing victims of sexual abuse how to become survivors of the traumatizing event, rather than a lifelong victim.

Palach is a survivor of sexual abuse. She said about six years ago, she was sexually assaulted by her biological father.

Palach wants to help others who have went through similar experiences.

“This is letting me take a negative experience and turn it into something positive,” she said.

She knows many who have been through it are afraid to talk about it.

“People want to keep it hush-hush,” she said. “People in this area think it doesn’t happen here, but it does.”

Palach wants the foundation to be a safe outlet for survivors who have felt like there is nowhere for them to turn.

“It’s a way for them to have a voice,” she said. “We want to help them get back on the right track.”

To help advance the foundation, a pig roast fundraiser dinner is scheduled from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday at North Huron Schools. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $6 for children. Tickets are available at the door or can be purchased before the event by calling (989) 550-5889 or (989) 553-0713.

Palach said the goal is to make $1,200 from the dinner. Proceeds will support future foundation activities.

The Fight to Survive Foundation actually started with a fundraiser. In April, Palach organized a walk-a-thon, which raised $800.

“It was meant to be a one-time fundraiser, and the proceeds were going to go to a group of rape and sexual assault survivors,” she said.

However, Palach couldn’t decide which group to send the money to, so her mother, Susan Baranski, had an idea.

“Mom said ‘Start your own foundation,’” Palach said.

Palach’s good friend, Cassandra Smithers, is the foundation’s vice president.

Palach said one of the most difficult aspects of starting the foundation was completing legal paperwork.

“It’s not fun,” she said.

She’s also working on getting the word out about the foundation. She said some people may not be open-minded about the foundation because of the difficult subject of sexual assault. However, she’s hoping the foundation will open people’s eyes and minds and will encourage survivors to speak up about their ordeal. She said holding things inside doesn’t help anyone. She knows, because it took her three years to open up about her sexual assault. She said it wasn’t easy, but it did help her get on the road to healing.

Palach said the five pillars of the foundation are trust, faith, hope, love and happiness.

“These are things survivors feel they have lost, but they haven’t,” she said.

She said she also wants people to understand that sexual abuse often happens with someone known to the person abused, rather than a stranger.

Palach has several ideas of what she would like the foundation to accomplish. She said she and other sexual abuse survivors will be visiting local high schools to talk to teenagers about what to do if sexual abuse happens to them or someone they know. The presentations also will cover topics such as how to be careful in various environments, such as parties, to prevent getting into dangerous situations.

She also plans to have monthly meetings for survivors and plans to start a sexual assault survivor camp. She said she would like the foundation to offer counseling services to survivors who cannot afford to pay for it.

Palach is excited about the future of the Fight to Survive Foundation and is looking forward to helping people who have faced sexual abuse. She said her friends and family, including her step-father Gerald Baranski, are very supportive of the foundation and its ideals.